]]>Volkswagen is trying hard to put the diesel cheating scandal behind them, and one of the ways to shift consumer focus is by revealing design sketches of its battery electric car a week before the Paris Motor Show.

The illustrations show a five-door hatchback with a low, ground hugging stance and a rear roofline that extends out beyond the tailgate.

Since there is no combustion engine that takes up space in the front, the nose is short and lacks a traditional grille.

Sliding rear doors, a glass roof and wildly styled wheels are all marks of a concept vehicle and likely will not see production.

The production model of the car will be the first to use Volkswagen’s new modular platform design for electric cars called Modular Electric Model (MEB), which can be adapted for vehicles from a subcompact to a full-size luxury sedan and everything in between.

When the EV concept debuts in Paris, it will be similar in size to the company’s Golf hatchback, but the MEB platform packaging for electric vehicles gives interior space that rivals the larger Passat.

Earlier, Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller told British publication Autocar that the car will be capable of traveling between 250 and 300 miles on a single charge, with charging “only taking 15 minutes.”

Scheduled for release in 2019, the as-yet-named electric car will be followed by a crossover, a luxury sedan and a sports car.

Volkswagen has gone heavy with marketing hyperbole stating that the new EV concept will be as “revolutionary as the Beetle was seven decades ago” and “has the potential to make history.”

Those lofty goals can only be meet if the car looks and performs better than any rival might produce.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/volkswagen-paris-electric-car-concept-shown-by-design-sketches/feed/0Volkswagen’s Paris Auto Show EV to be Forerunner of Future Electric Modelshttp://www.hybridcars.com/volkswagens-paris-auto-show-ev-to-be-forerunner-of-future-electric-models/
http://www.hybridcars.com/volkswagens-paris-auto-show-ev-to-be-forerunner-of-future-electric-models/#commentsThu, 15 Sep 2016 04:41:02 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=491106More details are beginning to surface about Volkswagen’s battery electric concept car that will debut at the Paris Auto Show on October 1. As Hybrid Cars noted earlier, the concept hatchback, a prototype or thinly veiled production model, will be about the size of the VW Golf, but with the interior space of the larger […]

]]>More details are beginning to surface about Volkswagen’s battery electric concept car that will debut at the Paris Auto Show on October 1.

As Hybrid Cars noted earlier, the concept hatchback, a prototype or thinly veiled production model, will be about the size of the VW Golf, but with the interior space of the larger Passat.

The new stand-alone electric car is now confirmed to go on sale in 2020.

The show car will present a new styling design that Volkswagen sources told UK publication Autocar will influence the look of a variety of future battery-powered vehicles.

Using the working title Nuv-e (New Urban Vehicle Electric), the concept will reveal Volkswagen’s new modular electric platform (MEB) in detail.

With scalable electric motors, axles and suspension, MEB can be adapted to allow production of models ranging in size from a subcompact to full-size luxury sedans, according to a senior VW source with knowledge of the company’s electric vehicle plans.

VW Chairman Hebert Diess told Autocar the new EV would have an electric driving range of 250-370 miles (400-600 km).

Those numbers likely refer to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), which is more generous than EPA ratings and doesn’t really reflect real-world range. A range of 250 miles is more realistic.

The Budd-e electric van, first shown at the Consumer Electronic Show in January, will also be in Paris, and sources tell Autocar production is scheduled for 2019, one year before the electric car.

VW plans to make public other new electric models after the Paris show.

These include a crossover SUV (currently called CUV-e), a sports car in the form of either a coupe or a roadster and an electric successor to the flagship Phaeton (known internally as the X-BEV).

Batteries are the major cost of producing EV’s, and Diess said buying batteries from Asia would be “problematic,” hinting that VW would source them from a European plant.

In an attempt to put the diesel emissions scandal behind them, the automaker is sending a message about how it’s changed with the “Together – Strategy 2025” plan, marking its ambition to sell two-to-three million electric cars a year by 2025.

To reinforce the message, VW’s new slogan for Paris is quite forthright: “Think New.”

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/volkswagens-paris-auto-show-ev-to-be-forerunner-of-future-electric-models/feed/0Jay Leno Tests Out Toyota i-Road Concept Carhttp://www.hybridcars.com/jay-leno-tests-out-toyota-i-road-concept-car/
http://www.hybridcars.com/jay-leno-tests-out-toyota-i-road-concept-car/#commentsWed, 06 Jul 2016 19:52:57 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=461578Comedian and car guy Jay Leno continued his fascination with electric cars while taking the Toyota i-Road electric concept car for a racetrack spin. Leno drove the three-wheel vehicle on a recent episode of the second season of “Jay Leno’s Garage.” The all-electric concept car can travel about 31 miles on a charge, when speeds […]

]]>Comedian and car guy Jay Leno continued his fascination with electric cars while taking the Toyota i-Road electric concept car for a racetrack spin.

Leno drove the three-wheel vehicle on a recent episode of the second season of “Jay Leno’s Garage.” The all-electric concept car can travel about 31 miles on a charge, when speeds average around 19 mph. It takes up less than half of a standard lane and parking space.

“With a low-powered vehicle like this, the trick is to maintain your speed and try not to use your brakes at all,” Leno said in a voiceover at the beginning of the video segment.

The front wheels move up and down independently as the driver moves. The i-Road balances itself, leaning and choosing the correct angle as the driver proceeds around each corner.

Driving the i-Road was an odd sensation for Leno. “It feels like I’m driving a car, but it’s almost like I’m on skis,” he said.

Leno was thrilled to finish the track at 21.87 seconds, beating his competitor, Joe, who finished at 23.36 seconds. “Twenty one seconds – that beats my wedding night,” Leno said at the end of the video promoting “Jay Leno’s Garage,” airing Wednesday nights on CNBC at 10:00 pm eastern time. You can view the video below.

Toyota i-Road combines the convenience of a motorbike with the stability and comfort of a car. It is Toyota’s answer to the future of mobility, and the Japanese automaker has been promoting the car as an icon of Toyota’s future.

Leno is known for being fascinated with cars – from classic muscle cars to some of the very first electric cars ever built more than 100 years ago. His TV series shows off his vast collection stored in his Burbank, Calif.-based warehouse.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/jay-leno-tests-out-toyota-i-road-concept-car/feed/0Infiniti Plug-In Hybrid In Developmenthttp://www.hybridcars.com/infiniti-plug-in-hybrid-in-development/
http://www.hybridcars.com/infiniti-plug-in-hybrid-in-development/#commentsTue, 10 Nov 2015 23:09:51 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=365122An inside source has revealed that Infiniti is developing a plug-in hybrid, which will possibly be based on its Q80 Inspiration Concept. Unveiled in 2014 at the Paris Auto Show, the Q80 Inspiration Concept is a full-sized four door that rejects the conventional sedan profile in exchange for a fastback rear end. Hinges on the […]

]]>An inside source has revealed that Infiniti is developing a plug-in hybrid, which will possibly be based on its Q80 Inspiration Concept.

Unveiled in 2014 at the Paris Auto Show, the Q80 Inspiration Concept is a full-sized four door that rejects the conventional sedan profile in exchange for a fastback rear end. Hinges on the rear doors are mounted at the back and there’s no B-pillar, leaving the full length of the cabin exposed when the front and rear doors are open.

With 550 horsepower from its 3.0-liter V6 and hybrid electric powertrain, Infiniti’s concept offers more power than the Mercedes S500 plug-in hybrid and the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid plug-in. These models were named by the source as the two targets for the new plug-in.

When it debuted, Infiniti called the Q80 Inspiration Concept its “first foray into the upper echelons of the premium sedan category.” The prototype was appropriately outfitted with features typical of the luxury class, such as seat-mounted touchscreens for both rear passengers and some self-driving systems. But, said Infiniti, maintaining an element of simplicity was key to the design.

“There is a tendency with modern design that every time you add interior features and technology you add complexity,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director. “The idea with Q80 Inspiration was to re-define and simplify how we interact with people in the car. Of course the Q80 Inspiration has the key features which are premium, smart and engaging, but simplicity was our main objective.”

A production version of the concept would probably emerge in between 2017 and 2019, Infiniti noted last year. The company has said very little of the Q80 Inspiration since then, and hasn’t verified if it will be built as a plug-in hybrid.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/infiniti-plug-in-hybrid-in-development/feed/0Toyota FCV Concept Demonstrates Hydrogen’s Potential For Cars And Citieshttp://www.hybridcars.com/toyota-fcv-concept-demonstrates-hydrogens-potential-for-cars-and-cities/
http://www.hybridcars.com/toyota-fcv-concept-demonstrates-hydrogens-potential-for-cars-and-cities/#commentsThu, 29 Oct 2015 17:16:24 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=361386Hydrogen is an efficient energy source that can be used for both homes and cars, according to Toyota. “Clean generation of hydrogen from a wide range of primary energy sources will make local, self-sufficient power generation a global reality,” said the carmaker this week. “Fuel cell vehicles will take on a new role as power […]

]]>Hydrogen is an efficient energy source that can be used for both homes and cars, according to Toyota.

“Clean generation of hydrogen from a wide range of primary energy sources will make local, self-sufficient power generation a global reality,” said the carmaker this week. “Fuel cell vehicles will take on a new role as power sources within their communities.”

Toyota demonstrated this theory at the Tokyo Motor Show with the debut of its FCV Plus, a hydrogen-powered concept car that doubles as a home-energy generator. When the car isn’t being driven, Toyota envisions that the FCV Plus can connect to an external hydrogen source to create electricity for homes or businesses.

Of course battery electric cars have also demonstrated vehicle to grid, are also touted as a clean solution, but Toyota is eager to create publicity for FCVs as it continues roll out of its production Mirai.

The company is bypassing production of plug-in electric cars while working on them behind the scenes – and among Japanese peers, it’s letting Nissan plow the way but for all anyone knows, Toyota may one day decide to join in when it sees a market case it’s happy with.

Meanwhile, Toyota is pushing its FCV agenda as a choice for a “100 years” of sustainability with efficiencies just now being honed, and expected to be taken to greater heights.

“Compressed hydrogen has a higher energy density than electricity, can be generated from a wide range of raw materials, and is easy to store, making it a promising future energy source,” said Toyota, adding that the company “envisages a sustainable society in which hydrogen energy is in widespread use – a society embodied by this concept vehicle.”

Toyota’s pod-shaped FCV Plus has a compact footprint, measuring only 150 inches long and 69 inches wide. Shifting from a large electric motor to in-wheel motors on all four wheels gives the concept enough interior room to carry four passengers. Oversized windows – tinted blue – on all four sides adds to the cabin’s spacious feeling.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/toyota-fcv-concept-demonstrates-hydrogens-potential-for-cars-and-cities/feed/0Toyota RND Concept Slated For January 26 Revealhttp://www.hybridcars.com/toyota-rnd-concept-slated-for-january-26-reveal/
http://www.hybridcars.com/toyota-rnd-concept-slated-for-january-26-reveal/#commentsThu, 22 Jan 2015 05:10:11 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=243066Toyota is getting ready to unveil next week the RND Concept, a production ready concept car that, in the company’s words, “will make a valuable contribution to the world we live in.” In doing so, Toyota is breaking with automotive industry convention by revealing a new product outside the familiar surroundings of an international auto […]

]]>Toyota is getting ready to unveil next week the RND Concept, a production ready concept car that, in the company’s words, “will make a valuable contribution to the world we live in.”

In doing so, Toyota is breaking with automotive industry convention by revealing a new product outside the familiar surroundings of an international auto show.

Instead the company’s RND Concept will make its world debut in the UK on January 26. Toyota said this vehicle is ready for fast-track development that should see it changing the face of motoring within weeks… But the company did not reveal technical details of this concept. Hybrid? Hydrogen? Plug-in? We’ll have to wait for now.

The company added the first image released today hints at how the concept’s design marks a radical shift in direction for Toyota, taking the “fun-to-drive” qualities of its cars to a higher level.

In typical fashion, the image released does not allow anyone to have a feel for the concept’s looks, aside from confirming there is black paint on the vehicle.

Although presented as a concept, Toyota clearly stated the RND will be unveiled in its production-ready form. Manufacturing and product supply have been secured and on-the-road pricing has been set at a level that will make the RND Concept accessible to the widest possible market, added the company.

In an intriguing line, Toyota said it is confident that the RND Concept’s impact will go far beyond its own model range, having the potential to transform the look of every vehicle on the road.

“Full details of the RND Concept will be announced next week, but ahead of the official unveiling I can say that this is something we are proud of and that will make a valuable contribution to the world we live in,” said Matt Harrison, President of Toyota GB.

The similarities between the concept’s RND name and the R&D abbreviation for research and development is not lost on us.

The gasoline plug-in hybrid – an electric car, hybrid car and high-performance car all rolled into one – offers the driver an outstanding combination of dynamic driving pleasure and superb fuel economy, per Volvo.

Volvo added the production version of the S60L gasoline Plug-in Hybrid, incorporating a 238 horsepower Drive-E gasoline turbo and plug-in hybrid technology, will be launched in China early 2015 and will be produced at the Chengdu plant.

“The creation of a powertrain with 238+68 horsepower by combining a gasoline turbo from our new four-cylinder Drive-E engine family and an electric motor proves that the most efficient car can also be the most fun to drive. This is our most technologically advanced powertrain ever. It brings us closer to our vision to offer zero-emission motoring in the future,” said Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President, Research and Development at Volvo Cars.

The S60L PPHEV Concept Car features the same electrification technology as the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid, which Volvo qualifies as a groundbreaking success on the European markets.

In the S60L, however, the diesel engine of the V60 has been replaced with a new, two-liter, four-cylinder gasoline turbo from Volvo Cars’ new Drive-E engine family.

Volvo added other key components in the super-efficient powertrain is a crankshaft-driven ISG (Integrated Starter Generator) between the engine and the 8-speed automatic gearbox and a 68 horsepower electric motor powered by a 11.2 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor of the load compartment.

Per the Swedish manufacturer, the driver selects the required driving mode via three buttons that give the car three entirely different temperaments: Pure, Hybrid or Power. In the default hybrid mode, the carbon dioxide emissions are about 50 g/kilometer.

At the touch of a button, the driver can also choose to cover up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) on pure electric power – or use the combined capacity of the petrol turbo and electric motor to create a veritable driving machine for a possible 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration time of 5.5 seconds.

“This on-demand possibility to choose between different driving modes makes the plug-in hybrid the perfect choice for the uncompromising customer who wants minimum carbon dioxide emissions combined with maximum driving pleasure,” said Peter Mertens. “The electric range covers the needs of most Chinese commuters, and the car has a total range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) in hybrid mode.”

The S60L PPHEV Concept Car can be recharged from a regular power outlet (230V/6A to 16A fuse) at home or in a car park, added Volvo. The recharging time varies with the amperage; a full charge with 10 amperes takes 4.5 hours, while a 16 amperes charge takes it down to four hours.

This PPHEV concept comes with electric all-wheel drive, added Volvo. Pressing the AWD button activates the exceptionally responsive electric four-wheel drive. Instead of the mechanical power transfer of conventional four-wheel drive, the central control unit distributes power between the petrol-driven front wheels and the electrically driven rear axle.

The driver can also choose to save battery power for driving on pure electricity later, for instance, in the centre of a city in order to eliminate all tailpipe emissions.

]]>http://www.hybridcars.com/volvo-combines-drive-e-and-phev-for-chinese-market-s60l/feed/0Citroen To Launch Hybrid Air Technologyhttp://www.hybridcars.com/citroen-to-launch-hybrid-air-technology/
http://www.hybridcars.com/citroen-to-launch-hybrid-air-technology/#commentsTue, 19 Feb 2013 05:01:42 +0000http://www.hybridcars.com/?p=53733Known for its air and hydraulic suspensions, French carmaker Citroën will apply its expertise with pressurized air to power its vehicles. On the Citroën stand at the Geneva Motor Show, the brand will showcase a C3 VTi 82 prototype fitted with this new technology it calls Hybrid Air. According to Citroën, the C3 Hybrid Air […]

]]>Known for its air and hydraulic suspensions, French carmaker Citroën will apply its expertise with pressurized air to power its vehicles.

On the Citroën stand at the Geneva Motor Show, the brand will showcase a C3 VTi 82 prototype fitted with this new technology it calls Hybrid Air.

According to Citroën, the C3 Hybrid Air produces CO2 emissions of just 69 gram per kilometer; in urban driving, fuel consumption and CO2 are reduced by 45 percent compared with a vehicle solely fitted with the same internal combustion engine.

A full-hybrid solution combining a gas engine, compressed air and hydraulic power, Hybrid Air delivers, per Citroën, exceptional performance with fuel economy in excess of 94 mpg (less than 3 liters/100 kilometers) and no additional batteries.

The unique Hybrid Air system was developed by PSA Peugeot Citroën in cooperation with the Bosch Group and draws from the Citroën brand’s historic expertise of hydraulic systems for cars.

Hybrid Air combines proven sub-systems and technologies including a PureTech gas engine, a compressed air energy storage unit, a hydraulic pump/motor unit and an automatic transmission with an epicyclic gear train.

Eighty patents were filed by the PSA Peugeot Citroën Group during the development process of Hybrid Air.

An electronic management system manages input from the driver to optimize energy efficiency with three operating modes: air power, with zero emissions; regular gas power, using just the combustion engine; and combined power, with the combustion engine and hydraulic motor working together.

The Hybrid Air system combines all of the technologies, relying on the electronic management unit to switch continuously between the three operating modes. Optimizing energy efficiency in this way is what helps cut fuel consumption and allows the system to recharge the energy storage unit with compressed air.

Active up to 43 mph, air mode works in the same way as the ZEV mode on existing hybrid vehicles.

In air mode, the combustion engine is not used. The energy stored (compressed air) is transmitted to the wheels through the hydraulic motor and gearbox. Depending on traffic, this mode will be active between 60 and 80% of urban driving time. Maximum use of deceleration and braking energy will ensure recharging of the compressed air unit.

The conventional gas mode transmits energy to the wheels without input from the compressed air unit. Citroën said this mode is used primarily for trips outside urban areas. Again, the energy from deceleration and braking is recovered for use when in air mode or for the boost function in combined mode.

In combined mode, the combustion engine and hydraulic motor work together. This mode is used particularly during strong acceleration, with a significant boost effect (total power of up to 90 kilowatt) delivering performance comparable to those of a car with a bigger engine.

Citroën believes its Hybrid Air technology has a number of benefits that make it both attractive and economically viable for a number of global markets:

The system uses no additional batteries, so pricing will be competitive both in European and international markets;

The technology operates at a constant level of efficiency, regardless of weather or driving conditions;

The technology could be developed for all Citroën markets, is easily adaptable for both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, and is particularly efficient on B & C segment models;

The system has no impact on interior space or cargo capacity and is essentially mechanical, which simplifies servicing operations and end-of-life recycling.

The Geneva Motor Show will be an opportunity for visitors to discover the C3 Hybrid Air, a new step forward in terms of ‘Créative Technologie’.

Alongside the Hybrid Air technology itself, the prototype on show will feature new Michelin tires sized specifically (165/50 R 18) to cut fuel consumption which are designed with a particularly large diameter and a reduced width for lower rolling resistance, weight and noise.